Abduction
by Westward
Summary: AU. Jane Shepard thought herself as a tenacious, yet rational and flexible young woman. She was striven to do her best and meet the expectations of those that mattered to her. That was why she signed up for the Alliance, just like her parents and older brother before her. It gave a sense of order and normalcy to her life that made her content. And then she was abducted by aliens.
1. Home

_. . . If only life had been as easy as she had planned . . ._

She had just finished basic training, and was even at the top of her class. There were only three others that had bested her, but Jane didn't care at the moment; she had made her brother proud. At least, she thought she had. John had called her on the long bus ride back from basic, spending what little of his free time on shore leave to congratulate Jane on the job well done.

And John was not easily impressed. Hearing those words from his voice had made pride swell up inside of Jane's chest.

"You did good, kiddo. You would have made Dad proud." John said, his voice losing some of his seriousness either from the static of the phone or from the pride he felt for Jane. She hoped that it was the latter. "He would have wanted to see you there, at the top of your class."

"Thanks John." Jane muttered, feeling a smile creeping at the edges of her mouth.

She settled back into the somewhat lumpy seat of the Greyhound bus. Jane tilted her head, hiding the forming smile from the other passengers as she looked out of the fogged up window. She brought up a hand and wiped away the condensation, only to see that the storm had followed her home to Vancouver. The harsh rain was pelting down on the asphalt like small hammers, and the metallic roof of the bus sounded like a symphony that only encompassed timpani drummers. Still, Jane could see the outline of Vancouver's skyline in the far distance. Home.

"How far are you from the house?" John asked.

"Pretty close, about another forty minutes, at most." Jane answered with a small sigh. John was back down to business, as always. Jane straightened up in her chair and looked down at her watch. It was almost 5:30. "I've got four days until I have to show up at my assigned post. I don't know how I'm going to spend it home."

"Want my advice, kiddo? Go down to the shooting range with Anderson. Last time I checked with him, he had some shore leave before taking his next assignment. Go see if that old man's aim is as good as he brags it is." John said, cracking one of his rare jokes.

Jane just snorted at her brother's words. Anderson would only brag if he had the skills to back up his words. That was his rule about everything.

"I'm not falling for that one, John. We both know that Anderson's got more experience that both of us together." Jane said through a surprising smile. "But I'll still take the opportunity for some target practice. Don't want to get rusty during my vacation."

"Now _that's _what I like to hear, kiddo." There was a pause, and Jane could hear some rowdy shouting from John's end that blunted his voice. Jane knew instantly that it was John's friends and fellow squad mates. She heard him laugh a genuine laugh, one that she rarely heard herself, and then his attention was brought back to her. "Listen, I've got to go now Jane. Talk to you again when I'm off duty."

"Got it, big bro." Jane said, but John had ended the phone call before she could finish her sentence.

With a large sigh, Jane powered off her phone as she removed her uniform's hat. She undid the tight hair bun that she had always been forced to wear back in basic and let her dark red hair fall onto her shoulders in a cascading effect. Jane closed her eyes and reclined once again as she let her hands run through her soft hair, letting her scalp finally breathe after months and months of having it tied up too tightly. Jane let out a small, contented sigh through her nose as the edges of her lips pinched up into an almost smile.

Who cares if John was giving Jane his usual cold and distant attitude? This was what she wanted, right now. And she be damned if she didn't enjoy this feeling for the rest of the cramped ride back to Vancouver.

Jane felt fully relaxed as the time passed. Half an hour later, Jane Shepard felt the bus finally pull over to its designated stop. The rest of the passengers started to fidget around as they found their belongings and umbrellas. Jane let out a small groan as she stood up, stretching her arms and back with a yawn. Jane grabbed the small duffle bag that held all of her belongings from above and swung it onto her back.

The driver opened the bus door, and that's when Jane heard the full power of the torrential downpour. Jane stepped into the aisle behind what looked like a group of college students, home for spring break. Jane smiled to them as they glanced at her and the Alliance uniform she was wearing. As she slowly crept closer to the door, Jane could hear their careless, somewhat playful screams as the students tried to find their rides or their vehicles through the onslaught of icy rain.

As soon as Jane stepped out of the bus, she could feel the rain hit her back. Each droplet felt like a small _smack_ against the dampening fabric of her uniform. It was at this point that Jane wished that she had an umbrella at hand. The ginger started shivering as the icy cold March shower started to sink into her skin. She had to find her ride fast, or else she'd find herself grumpy for the rest of the night.

Just as Jane Shepard found herself running around the parking lot adjacent to the bus stop, she heard a car horn that she was familiar with. Jane blinked the ice cold water out of her eyes to see the Anderson's blue Ford barely twenty feet from her. She could see someone wave their hand towards her, and Jane returned the gesture. Jane ran over to the car and opened up the passenger side door. She was greeted with the friendly face of her foster mother, Mrs. Kahlee Anderson.

"Get in quickly, Jane!" Mrs. Anderson said in a hurried voice, sounding slightly concerned about the rain. "You're going to catch a cold if you stay out there any longer!"

"Yes ma'am." Jane said as she quick sat down in the seat, holding the small duffle bag in her lap.

"Now don't go ma'am-ing me Jane. It's been a long time since I was a Marine. Now get your seatbelt on so we can head home." Mrs. Anderson said as she took the Ford out of parked position.

Jane nodded and quickly found the buckle for the seatbelt. As Mrs. Anderson pulled out onto the road, Jane threw the duffle bag into the back, only to spot the Anderson's little kid in the back seat. Little Danny was sitting right behind his mother, and as playing some form of hand held gaming device. However, as soon as he saw the duffle bag in the corner of the eye, he looked up and caught Jane's eyes. The small kid wailed out a cry of happiness.

"Janie! You're back!" The young kid cried out. Jane let out a small laugh as she smiled, flashing her teeth. She reached out to the young boy and ruffled his short brown curls, effectively messing up his tidy hair. He grabbed her hand and held it tight, almost afraid to let go. "I missed you, big Sis."

"I missed you too, Danny. Did I miss anything since the past four months?" Jane asked as she twisted her body around towards the little boy, and sat carefully into a comfortable position. She bent forward and rested her elbow against the armrest, holding her head in her free hand.

"You missed Christmas! Mom and Dad got me a new bike for spring! Can you teach me to ride it when you're home?" Danny asked, visibly excited.

"If the weather is nice, why not?" Jane asked matter-of-factly, which rewarded her with another cry of excitement from the six year old boy.

"_Only_ if you finish your homework tonight, Daniel." Mrs. Anderson said, glancing up into the rearview mirror to look at her son. Her voice grew into the motherly tone that Jane knew for years. "You got a C on your last math quiz. I promised not to tell your dad about it if you promise to do well on your next one."

That earned the two women a groan from the young boy. Jane couldn't help but laugh as she settled back into the appropriate position in her seat. The rest of the ride home was full of small talk about both Jane's time at basic and life at home, but it ended up being mostly how things had been happening at home. Jane was delighted to hear that her foster father had been promoted to Captain during her four month absence. Jane had seen this coming since a long time ago, and was finally happy to hear that Anderson finally got was he deserved.

When they finally pulled into the driveway, the harsh rain had finally started to dwindle into a light drizzle. Jane was still slightly damp through her wet Alliance uniform, and the first thing she decided to do once she unpacked her belongings was take a hot bath, a commodity that Jane sorely missed. Jane helped Kahlee Anderson unpack the car, as the Mrs. had gone grocery shopping before she had picked her up. Jane swung the duffle bag back over her shoulder and gripped the few plastic bags in the trunk.

Danny helped Jane back into the house as Jane reached the front door. The three were greeted with the barking of the Anderson's family dog. The pit-bull barked and wagged his tail violently as his talons scrapped against the wooden floor. The dog let out an excited whine when he spotted all three humans, specifically the redheaded one, and almost jumped on Jane despite the fact that her arms had been full. Of course, the dog was oblivious of that small fact.

"Whoa, Duke! Steady." Mrs. Anderson said as she grabbed the pit-bull's collar and held him back for Jane. "You'll get to see Jane when her arms are free."

As if the dog understood his mistress, Duke let out a small whine as he unwillingly sat down on his rump. Jane went into the kitchen and placed the bags down on the counter. As soon as she stepped out of the small kitchen, Mrs. Anderson let go of the dog's collar. Duke literally jumped over to Jane, almost knocking her down, and greeted the woman with a series of licks and kisses as his body wiggled with excitement. Jane returned the sentiment with a thorough series of strokes over his short white fur and a single belly rub.

"Nice to know that someone missed me." Jane said as she sat down beside the family dog. Duke leaned into her side once she settled in and Jane set a pace to her petting. She patted Duke on his side as she continued. "Looks like you're getting fat. Does anyone take you for walks when I'm not home?"

"Not as many as the little devil should have." Mrs. Anderson said as she passed the two on her way to the kitchen. "He's too strong for Danny to take by himself. And David and I don't have enough time to run him tired anymore since his promotion."

"Has John been home since I left? He would have wanted a running partner during his shore leave." Jane asked, her eyebrows furrowing together as she made a confused expression. The dog beside her had calmed enough for her series of strokes to slow down to a steady crawl. Duke even rested his head atop of Jane's lap. "I thought he had this last Christmas off?"

"I won't tell say anything until David gets back from his meeting. I wouldn't be able to describe it as well as he would anyway." Kahlee said as she started to take the groceries out of the bags. "Until then, why don't you help me start dinner? I bought some steak for your first night back."

Jane could almost feel herself salivating at the mention of fresh meat. She stood up and brushed the short dog hair off of her uniform. Jane joined her foster mother in the kitchen and grabbed a knife. Expertly, Jane started to cut up the vegetables beside Kahlee, who was tending to the steak before placing it on the indoor grill. The minutes passed in comfortable silence, and the ginger could feel herself relaxing. Jane heard the meat cooking before she could smell it, and she took in a deep inhale before exhaling with a smile.

"They don't have this in basic." Jane stated as she finished cutting up the vegetables and placed them in a steamer.

"If I recall my basic training all those years ago, they didn't have a lot at all." Kahlee said through a chuckle, nodding her head in agreement.

Jane cleaned up her station and placed the chopping board she had been using into the sink. She then headed to her and her brother's shared room in the back of the house. As Jane opened up the door, she was met with the last ray of light that shone through the window facing the west. Her bed was still neatly made from the last time she had been here in November. Jane closed the door behind her and threw her duffle bag on top of the bed's covers haphazardly.

Jane sat down on the bed and felt the familiar material against the palms of her hands. She gripped the fabric, the softness setting off memories of her late childhood. Jane leaned backwards against the headrest as she remembered stormy days playing with dolls and Legos. She remembered running in the back yard with John, who would always outrun her no matter how fast her legs would carry her. It all hit Jane, and she smiled as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

It felt good to be home, even if it was only for four days before heading to her assignment. Her thoughts wandered towards her older brother, and she felt a mix of disappointment and anger. John hadn't even asked where she had been assigned to. The anger dispelled as soon as it had appeared; he probably forgot to ask her. That's all. He'd probably call tomorrow and remember then.

Probably.

With her mind still on her brother, Jane stripped out of her uniform and placed it in the laundry basket. She was still cold from the rain earlier, and now she remembered how much she wanted to just take a long, hot shower. Dinner would be soon, so Jane would have to settle for a short, hot shower for now.

Grabbing a towel and a clean set of clothes civilian clothes, Jane headed to the bathroom. There, she started the shower and climbed into the tub. Minutes passed as Jane soaped and shampooed her body. Jane turned off the water just in time to hear Comman— Captain Anderson arrive back home. Jane smiled softly as she heard the hum of the man's car stop as he took the keys out of the ignition. Jane quickly dried off and put her clean clothes on.

Just as Jane was stepping out of the somewhat fogged up bathroom, Captain Anderson had entered the house, signaled by Duke's thunderous barking. Captain Anderson calmed the dog down with the serious tone of voice that Jane was so familiar with. The man looked up to see Jane at the other end of the house, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Anderson's mouth twitched into a small smile before placing down his briefcase and walked over to Jane.

Jane saluted her foster father out of habit, having done so long before joining the Alliance, to which Anderson returned the gesture. Anderson then took Jane into a small, short hug before looking down at the smiling girl in approval. Jane patted his back, and Anderson followed suit.

"Damn, Jane it's been too long." Anderson said with a small nod of his head. He stepped back to look at Jane more thoroughly. "How was basic?"

"Just like you said it was, _Captain_." Jane said, putting extra emphasis on the man's new title. "Never thought to write me a letter to tell me how that happened, huh?" Jane continued as she bent downwards slightly to pet Duke's head, which was now leaning against her leg as if the dog was demanding her attention.

"Just happened recently. Sixteen days to be exact." Captain Anderson said as he turned towards the dining room. As he started walking, Jane fell into his step. "At that point we knew that it was better to wait until you came back home before your first assignment. Care to tell us where you're stationed?"

The two walked into the dining room to find that Mrs. Anderson and Danny were already seated in their usual spots. The food was resting at the table, waiting for the last few members of the family to settle down before they all dug in. Captain Anderson took the spot at the head of the table while Jane took the open chair that was to his left. As soon as Jane sat down, the four began to pick apart their steak.

"I, uh, I was assigned to a base over in the Mediterranean for the next fifteen months. You know the base in Italy? That's where I'll be. From there, I don't know where." Jane said, finally remembering that Anderson had asked her a question. She paused as she took a bite out of her steak and chewed it slowly, savoring every second of it. It tasted like heaven. "Hopefully I can continue training there and get picked for Recon training."

"Still want to be a sniper, I see." Kahlee said as she leaned towards Danny with a napkin in hand. Danny didn't moved as his mother wiped a piece of food off of his cheek. However, the boy did make a face as his mother turned to look at Jane. "I tried to enter the program. It wasn't easy."

"It still isn't easy." Captain Anderson said. He made eye contact with Jane and held it. "Hell, I think it's even more difficult than it was two decades ago. But if anyone can do it, it's you Jane."

"Thanks, Anderson. And I intend to get into that program, no matter what it takes to do it." Shepard said with a curt nod of her head, showing how determined she was. Her attention then turned to Anderson. She gave him a raise of a single eyebrow, showing her confusion. "Still care to tell me how you became a Captain?"

Anderson let out a heavy, annoyed sigh. "If you're asking me whether I earned it, then I'll have to be honest with you Jane. I didn't earn it, which is what makes me angry with it. I was promoted because of damned politicians."

Anderson paused as he took an angry bite out of his stake. He set his fork down and then propped his elbows onto the table, folding his hands together as he did so.

"They wanted someone with battle experience to be stationed at the base here in Vancouver to help keep certain people in office and other from being voted in their place." Anderson said, his voice growing frustrated. "Instead of being in the front of the action where I belong, out in the final frontier, I'm stuck behind a desk as a pencil pusher."

"Speaking of the final frontier, how are we doing on the Moon?" Kahlee asked her husband, genuinely curious.

"The military base up there is almost complete. Communications are up and the commanding officer there is assuring Command that everything is running effectively. By summer, we can have troops stationed like any other base here on Earth." Anderson said.

"We're really _that far_ into the program?" Jane asked rhetorically. She placed her fork down on her plate, having lost her appetite at her foster father's words, and gripped the side of the wooden table as she thought.

"We are, Jane. The Alliance is putting a lot of resources into this project. And we have more than enough support from both the UNAS and our allies." Anderson answered his foster daughter, giving her a look that said he knew exactly what she was thinking, even if she didn't know it yet herself. "There's more to this project than that, but all I can say for the moment is that the Alliance wants to push further when we finish the moon base. And now we have our sights on Mars."

Not only the Moon, but Mars as well? Wow, Jane couldn't keep her head straight. Was it getting hot in the room, or was it just her?

It seemed like just last month that that the United North American States had publicly launched their program for the Moon base. But Jane knew that it had actually been about a year. She remembered it with perfect clarity. "Project Luna" it had been dubbed by the media, and the shared dream of space exploration had finally been achieved. Many people were ecstatic that the human race could finally explore the void of space, their thoughts going back to movies from the old 20th and 21st centuries.

Jane knew that when she first heard about the project, her mind instantly went to the old show Star Trek. Who could blame her; it all felt surreal.

Jane had always been a firm supporter of space exploration. She had always supported people whenever they wanted another civilian or military satellite station orbiting the Earth. But she had never thought that space exploration like this would happen this early in her lifetime. Perhaps decades from now, when she was older and technology was much more advance than the present. When her body would have been too weak to be at the front of it all.

There were whole worlds up there that no one has ever stepped foot on. And sometime within her lifetime, she could have the opportunity to do just that. Leave a simple footprint on a barren planet. Something that would be so mundane here on Earth, but up there it would be life changing. Part of her still couldn't wrap her head around it.

And then the young woman's thoughts turned to her imminent future. If Jane could set her mind to it, she could be able to be stationed there on Luna Base, or even on Mars if the Alliance's plans followed through. There was now a tugging in Jane's chest that she never felt before, and the closest thing she could relate it to would be the feeling of being in love.

It felt right to her.

Suddenly, all thoughts of joining the sniper division here on Earth disappeared. Staying on planet seemed a whole lot duller compared to the wonder and mystery of space. A smile crept onto her face as she felt the rightness to the word "space". Jane knew that that was where she belonged, and where she was supposed to head towards.

As this realization dawned on her, Kahlee and Captain Anderson watched their foster daughter with steady, careful eyes. Anderson somehow knew that as soon as he mentioned the Alliance's progress in space, it would have changed her. Hell, it had changed John exactly the same way.

"I've seen that look before, Jane." Captain Anderson muttered before taking a sip from his glass of water. He sat his glass down and then pointed at Jane in a non-threatening manner, yet still gaining the young woman's attention. "That's the look you had back when you were thirteen and wanted to go to that concert with your friends. And when we adopted Duke two years ago. That's your determined look, when you won't settle for anything less than what you want."

"A girl can hope." Jane admitted as she sank back into her chair.

"I'm not reprimanding you, Jane. But I _will_ tell you that it's going to be very hard to get into the space program. You'll need to be at the top of your game, _and_ make a name for yourself." Captain Anderson said, nodding his head as he told Jane what she needed to do. Jane looked at him, confused for a second, and then realizing that he was giving her advice. "That's what your brother is down right now at this very moment."

"Wait, _John_ knows about the future space program?" Jane said, her attention snapping from her dreams of space to her usually distant and stern brother.

"He was one of the first to know. John knew even before I did."

"Remember when you asked why John hadn't been home for this Christmas?" Kahlee supplemented. Jane looked at the woman and nodded her head, waiting for a further explanation. "Well, your brother had been noticed by a newly formed board in the Alliance. They recruited him for a special program that was created specifically for space exploration."

"It's called the Interplanetary Combative Training program. They only recruit the best of the best, and somehow he proved it to higher officials that he's it. If John makes it to a certain level through the program, he'll be able to lead a squad on his own space ship. That is, if our progress keeps at a steady, consistent pace." Anderson said, explaining further.

"And that's why he's barely returning my calls, or coming home?" Jane asked, remembering her phone call from earlier.

"Exactly."

At that, Jane shook her head. This was a lot of information that they were throwing at her. Space travel, her brother's part in it, Anderson's part of it. None of it seemed real to her at all. Jane continued to shake her head as she pushed her half eaten meal away from her. She was getting a headache and needed to sit down.

"I need to sit down."

"Feel free to go to bed. It's almost eight, and you're body will still be used to waking up at 5:30 tomorrow. Enjoy the extra sleep while you still can Jane." Kahlee said as she picked up Jane's plate and put it on the floor, where Duke scrambled to eat the rest of the woman's meat and fat. He slobbered Jane in the process. "But leave your door open for Duke; he misses sleeping with you."

"Like I would forget Duke." Jane said as she got up from her chair and bent over to give Duke a hug around his neck. Duke gave the ginger a wet kiss from the wet contact and then continued eating. Jane grimaced and wiped the saliva off of her cheek, almost groaning when she saw the food particles contained within the film of wetness. "Eew. One thing I do not miss about you, old boy, is your slobber."

That remark gained Jane an outburst from Danny, who was laughing at his older sister. Jane winked at him and then retired to her room for the night. Just like Kahlee said, Duke joined Jane almost an hour later, climbing up on top of her bed and setting next to her legs. He let out a large sigh seconds later, telling Jane that the dog was already falling asleep.

Oh, how she missed this.


	2. Before

**Chapter 2: Before**

Jane could feel eyes on her, many eyes. But there was only one pair that mattered to her.

She gripped the gun closer to her body, and steadied herself into a balanced, comfortable and relaxed position. Jane kept her sights on the target and let out one steady breath. The gun in her hands became an extension of her body; she could feel the cold metal of the gun breathing with her, alive and yearning to please its master.

Jane pulled the trigger.

The shot rang throughout her body, vibrating every cell and muscle inside her. Adrenaline shot through her veins, and Jane could hear her heartbeat in the back of her mind and warming the tip of her ears. However, Jane was not scared. She was exhilarated. This was her element, one of the only things that felt right to her in her entire life.

Despite wearing protective headgear, Jane could hear the clapping from the onlookers. Jane didn't dare look over her shoulder towards the crowd, still in position to fire another shot. Another breath and then Jane fired again, and then again. She fired three more time, six shots in total. She remembered back during last summer, when she, John, and Anderson had gone to the shooting range before John had to go to his next posted assignment. Back then, she had been a decent shooter, enough for John to give her a small incline of his head with approval.

This time, Jane had much more control. Even at the distance, she could tell that she had hit her target perfectly with every single shot. If only John could see her now.

Jane expertly placed the safety of the gun on, and then placed it securely by her side. As she turned around, Jane swung the strap attached to the gun over her left shoulder and then placed the headgear down by the nearby table. Already, Captain Anderson was walking towards her, an impressed expression plastered over his face.

"Well, looks like basic _was_ good for you." The man said as he patted Jane approvingly on the back. Anderson stood there for a second, admiring Jane's skills before speaking again. "If I didn't know any better, then I'd say that you weren't the same young woman that I saw last year."

"If you really knew me Anderson, then you'd know that I'd never strive for anything short of perfection." Jane said, crossing her arms as her heart swelled with pride. She smiled smugly at the older man as she pulled a strand of red hair behind her ear. "Hell, you should have known that since you first met me."

"That's why I said 'if I didn't know any better'. Even when you were three years old, you were demanding the best out of yourself and everyone else, even if your father and I couldn't understand a word you said."

"Really?" Jane asked with a grin on her face, her voice drawing the word out longer than it should have been. "I always thought that I got that from you?"

"Me? No, it comes from your mother's side. Hannah was one hell of a Marine. Stubborn as a mule too." Anderson said. He patted Jane's shoulder s second time before stepping forward, away from the shooting range. "Come on, I want to see your grouping up close."

"Ten bucks says they're within an inch of each other." Jane said, already jogging to catch up with Anderson.

"Only a food would take that bet, Jane Elizabeth Shepard." Anderson said with a friendly shake of his head.

It took them a few minutes to get to the designated target. Anderson had taken Jane to an old style shooting range, where the target had been stapled to a plank of wood stuck in the ground. They were out in the middle of the field with overgrown weeds, where only Alliance personnel could come out and practice their skills. The people behind the two were said personnel, who were here on their lunch break.

As they neared the target, Jane's pride only grew larger, as did her smile. Just like she had foretold, each grouping was within centimeters of each other. With one grouping in the heart and the other in the head of the paper target, there was no doubt, in Shepard's mind at least, that she was more than a skilled shot. Still, Anderson inspected her marksmanship with great scrutiny.

"The group to the heart is leaning a bit to the left. This was your first grouping wasn't it? You hadn't accounted for the wind. At least you were consistent." Anderson said as he undid the target and handed it to Jane. When Anderson saw the look his foster daughter was giving him, he relented. He continued as he bent over the plank again and replaced the missing target picture. "But I still think you would have finished the guy off if he had been real. Good job, kiddo."

"A little to the left, you say? I can fix that." Jane muttered softly to herself.

That made Anderson chuckle slightly as they made their way back to the others. As they reached the other end of the shooting range, Jane held up the target poster, which earned her a few cries of approval from the younger officers. Jane slapped it down on the table and stepped away, allowing the others to study her shooting skills.

"Anyone want to see if they can best me? Ten bucks to anyone who can get an even closer grouping." Jane said, addressing the others, more than willing to earn some money out of this.

"You're a horrible gambler, Jane. No one in their right mind would take that bet." Anderson said, shaking his head in disapproval. His voice was low however, so only Jane could hear his remark and not the others. "I'm glad we're in Vancouver, and not down in Las Vegas. What would your father say if he knew this was a developing habit?"

"He'd probably encourage me to rob these suckers blind before they can think straight." Jane said with a small smirk, carefully taking off the rifle from her back. She sat down onto the makeshift bleachers behind the group of soldiers and started to clean the weapon. "Hell, he'd probably help instigate the damn thing. Then we'd split the profit, fifty-fifty."

"Just tell me that you didn't play poker back in basic."

"Okay. I didn't play poker back in basic." An obvious lie.

That only made Anderson sigh as if he had suddenly been struck with a headache. Jane didn't know if she could have grinned any larger, but she had at that sound. It's not that she wanted her father figure to get stressed over her actions, but it was nice to know that she had come home from basic with at least one bad habit. At least she didn't chew tobacco or come home with her body completely covered in tattoos. Completely being the keyword.

The woman finished cleaning the gun and waited for any takers. Fortunately, there was one. Another woman stepped up to the plate and pulled out two pistols and sat them down on the table next to the picture. That surprised Shepard, and her grin slightly faltered. She didn't have as much practice with pistols, focusing more on assault rifles and submachine guns during her time in basic.

"Raise the stakes to fifty and you've got yourself a deal, Private Shepard." The woman said as she crossed her arms, giving Jane a smug look.

"I don't seem to remember giving you my name, Miss . . . "Jane asked, suddenly curious and slightly suspicious.

"Name's Corporal Ashley Williams." The woman said as she stuck out her hand.

Jane shook it and found that the woman had a hell of a grip. This Ashley Williams looked straight into Jane's eyes with her brown ones as she smiled, and then Jane realized that this woman was inspecting her, scrutinizing her even. Jane found herself grinning in response, but she knew that her green eyes told the new woman that she was also judging her.

"And let's just say that if you can best my skills, I'll tell you how I know." Ashely said, her voice sounding much more assertive than it had a second ago. "Do we have a deal, Private?"

"You better believe it." Jane said, nodding her head curtly in one swift motion. "I believe you have the honor of going first."

Ashley Williams nodded in agreement and picked up one of the pistols. She slapped the safety off in one quick, swift motion and then readied herself in the designated area. Jane watched as the Corporal allowed her body to somehow tense up, and yet simultaneously relaxed it. Before Jane could observe the woman's position for further reference, Ashley shot off her rounds of ammunition.

Jane didn't even have time blink before the woman slapped the safety back on. Ashely put the gun back down and gave Jane a smug look that somehow knocked the younger woman's pride down a notch. Or four. Wanting to keep up appearances, Jane nodded to the higher ranking Marine in approval.

Slowly, Jane stepped up to the designated shooting area. Jane picked up the other pistol and checked the ammo in the chamber. There were six cartridges within, the same as before. The redhead inspected the gun, feeling the weight in both of her hands, feeling the trigger before she undid the safety.

"We're waiting, Private." Ashley Williams said, stopping Jane before she could touch the safety. It sounded like the woman was egging the redhead on. Her tone of voice sounded awfully close to patronizing Jane.

Jane grimaced, her body starting to shiver with nerves. Something about this woman made Jane feel like she had to prove her worth in front of her. Jane forced herself to take three deep breaths, calming her body down. Jane undid the safety and held up the gun in both of her hands. It felt like a feather compared to her favorite rifle.

The breeze had picked up since her first shooting. It cooled her skin, going through Jane's light jacket and reminding the woman that it was still early spring. A strand of her hair flopped through the breeze and into her eyes. Jane ignored it as she let her body relax and claim the gun as her own. She looked at the target next to the one already used. Jane closed her eyes for a brief second and reopened them. It took her a few seconds longer than the rifle, but soon the gun became an extension of her again. It no longer wavered in her hands and became as still as a picture.

Jane squeezed the trigger. Each time she fired it off, she recollected herself. Jane may not have been as fast as Ashley Williams, but her hand felt steady and she felt sure of herself. When she ran out of ammo. Jane found that she was tensed up instead of relaxed. She forced herself to let out a deep breath as she set down the gun right next to the one Ashely used.

Jane turned to look at Ashley, and then to Anderson. While Anderson's look had been stoic and unreadable, Ashley looked somewhat impressed. The older woman gave Jane a nod of her head and then started the long walk towards the targets. Without sharing words, Jane joined her. They walked for a long minute in long silence.

"You know, if you were in a battlefield, you would have been killed before you could have fired a single shot." Ashley said, keeping her eyes off in the distance and not on the younger woman to her left. Her voice was not angry or disapproving, but it sounded like genuine advice. "You've got quite an aim there, Shepard. You just need to work on your pace."

"Will do that, Corporal." Jane said with a sharp nod of her head.

They were soon standing in front of the targets. Ashley pulled off hers in one quick motion that ended up ripping off part of the top half while Jane carefully undid the staple that held her target in place. Without words, the two women held up their targets together, examining their damage.

"I believe you owe me fifty bucks, Private." Ashley said after a small whistle that had seemingly gotten on Jane's nerves. Jane didn't let it bother her when she took out her wallet and handed the woman the cash she earned. Ashley took the money and folded it into her pocket, another smug smile on her face. "I think we both learned something here: You need to work on holding that tongue of yours before it gets you into trouble. And I learned that it's easy making fifty bucks off of an arrogant Private right out of basic."

Jane was about to give the woman a smartass remark, but stopped herself just in time. She was speaking to a superior officer. It didn't matter if they were both off duty, Ashley could still do damage to Jane's career before it even started. Still, Jane couldn't help herself and gave a little _humph_ of frustration as she crossed her arms.

"Come on, let's get back before the others wonder what's taking us so long." Ashley said, nudging Jane in the shoulder in a friendly matter. Despite the outcome, this woman was trying to show Jane that there should be no hard feeling between them.

"I guess I'll have to challenge you next time we meet to figure out how you know me." Jane said, finally relenting from her stubborn mood somewhat.

"No need for that Private. I just said that to motivate you." Ashley said, stopping in the middle of the field. Jane paused, giving Ashley a confused look and waited for an answer. "I know your brother, that's how I know you."

That surprised Jane, whose eyebrows shot up in slight bewilderment. "You know John?"

"Considering the fact that we've been dating for the past two years? Yeah, I know John." Ashley said, giving Jane a steady look. And then the woman frowned. "I'm surprised he hasn't told you about me."

Jane grimaced. "Sorry. My brother and I . . . we're not that close."

"He's never told me that."

"He wouldn't, because he doesn't know what he's doing." Jane paused and let out a small sigh. That perked up Ashley's attention a bit, and she tilted her head to the side as if she was a curious dog. "Ever since we lost Dad twelve years ago, he's always been . . . distant. It was his way of coping our loss, and it just developed into a bad habit. I don't think he realizes that he's ignoring me, but he doesn't realize how much I look up to him either."

"You picked a hell of a role model, Jane." Ashley said with a nod of her head as she started moving forward again. The woman let a hand run through her hair, pulling a few strands loose from her tight pony tail. Ashley was thinking as they walked, and she let out a smile as they drew closer to the others. "And it's not just you that John does it to. He does it to others, including me sometimes."

"Well that's good to hear. I think."

"Don't sweat it, Shepard." Ashley said as she patted Jane's back with a bit too much force. Ashely's pace increased when they finally arrived back, she turned to face Jane and gave her a wink.

"Shepard?" Jane asked, obviously confused at the woman's use of her last name.

"Yeah. John's already Shep. So that leaves you with your last name. Get used to it as a nickname, because now you're stuck with it, Private. And don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

Jane wasn't able to respond before Corporal Ashley Williams took off for her car, jogging the whole way there. The officers that had been waiting for the results called out to Ashley for an answer of who won. She barely paid any attention to them as she picked up her pistols and placed them safely on her belt. As she made her way to her Jeep and opened the door, the officers turned to Jane for their answer.

"So? Who won the bet?" One officer asked, giving Jane a hard look. Obviously he was hoping to intimidate an answer out of the ginger.

Realizing what Ashley had meant, Jane let out a small chuckle and smiled with a shake of her head. Jane started whistling to herself as she packed up her belongings and went to Anderson's side, who had a knowing twinkle in his eye. Jane looked up, and the older man gave her a curt incline of his head. Of course he knew what had happened, nothing ever escaped that old man. But Jane was thankful that he was keeping quiet for her pride's sake.

The two left the shooting range without saying a word to each other or the other Alliance officers, all of whom looked severely disappointed.

* * *

Jane could feel herself sweating despite the cool air around her, which seemed to streamline her damp body as she moved. The sun shown overhead, beating down against her exposed arms and legs. Her head felt too hot and itchy, and her ponytail whipped at the tips of each ear with each step she took. Jane could feel the burning of her lungs, and it was a welcome sensation as she kept her breaths steady.

In one hand Jane held Duke's leash, which she kept wrapped around her arm until the burning skin took a pale sheen. Duke ran next to her side, matching her pace as he wagged his tail happily. The pit bull was panting from the exertion, but Jane didn't relent, knowing that the dog needed his exercise. Right now the dog didn't seem to notice his fatigue, so Jane continued to push as she jogged down the beaten forest path.

Her other hand held her portable music player, the music seeping deep into her ears through her ear buds. The music was relatively new and catchy, but the words and the vocals were lost to Jane as she kept her attention on the path in front of her. All that mattered to her was that it was keeping her occupied from certain thoughts. But even then, it didn't seem to help her from forgetting about Ashley Williams.

Just the thought of the older woman made Jane subconsciously push herself harder. Jane took longer strides with each step and her breathing grew more forced and ragged. She was scowling to herself, and she knew that she must not have been a pretty sight at the moment.

To hell with appearances; this jog was depleting her pent up energy that she sorely had to spend, lest she find herself restless in bed tonight.

That woman had been a better shot. And had _rubbed it in_ even. Well, Jane had also boasted about her skills seconds beforehand, but this didn't cross her mind for more than a brief second before she decided to ignore it. Instead, Jane focused her energy on Ashley and that little smirk of hers that set her raging.

No, Ashley wouldn't be the better shot for much longer if Jane could do something about it.

Jane was going to be a better Marine. She _had_ to be. The only thing Jane knew in her life was _how to be_ a Marine, having been surrounded by military life ever since she was a newborn babe. Her mother and father, the Andersons, and her brother John; they were all what she strived to be. She just had to push herself to be better, stronger. And before she could fix her marksmanship, she'd have to improve her body as a whole. That was why she was taking this long, winding path through the great outdoors for her daily jog.

The music paused between tracks, and Duke let out a small whine. That forced Jane to stop in her tracks. Taking out one of her ear buds, Jane bent down to the ground with one knee on the dry dirt, and then inspected her four legged friend. Duke was pleased to have Jane's attention and slobbered her hand with wet kisses. Jane smiled at him and patted his head before scratching it.

"I guess we _have_ been going at it for quite a while now, eh Duke?" Jane said through a soft but genuine chuckle. The dog answered her with a short bark before continuing his panting. "Yeah, it's about time that we head back home. I'm pretty sure dinner will be ready by the time we get back."

Jane was rewarded another bark, this one of delight, and then she put her ear buds back in. The young soldier stood back up and dusted the dirt off of her knew. She turned around and started jogging back, this time at a pace that was much more comfortable. Jane loosened her hold on Duke's leash, and soon the dog was pulling her forwards.

Half an hour later, Jane returned to the edges of her family's neighborhood. The jog soon turned to a slow walk, which she was actually grateful for. Jane was completely covered in sweat at this point, and Duke looked close to passing out beside the curb. Jane forced herself to take in a deep breath of air, despite the burn it brought through her lungs and throat. Taking the ear buds fully out now, she tucked them and her music player into her shorts' pocket.

"Good boy." Jane said as she patted her dog's side.

As the two drew closer to their abode, Jane started to pay attention to this part of the neighborhood. This part was much quieter than hers, which was closer to Vancouver. And it seemed to be a much more family oriented. As Jane crossed one street, she saw a young man playing with a young girl in the front yard. The two were obviously siblings, despite the age gap. She couldn't have been more than Danny's age, and her blonde hair seemed to shine with childhood youth.

The two were throwing a soft ball to one another, the young man tossing it to the girl gingerly. The girl, of course, was much rougher with him. When the young girl chucked the ball at the man, hitting him square in the chest, Jane couldn't help but laugh at the man's, perhaps a bit overdramatic, show of pain. This attracted the man's attention, and he gave Jane a questioning look.

"Like the show, Red?" The man said, tipping his baseball hat at her. The man walked over to the fence, rubbing is growing stubble as he did so. He leaned against the fence as he held the softball in one of his hands, a smirk developing through the stubble. "You know what they say about Chics that dig pain, right?"

"Never get on their bad side?" Jane said, smiling as she crossed her arms and joined the man on the opposite side of the white picket fence.

That made the man laugh.

"Yeah, something like that. I already have one that I have to worry about. I don't want to make that two. I've never seen you around here." The man said, motioning behind him and towards the little girl, who was now eyeing Jane with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. The man stuck out his right hand, and Jane took it before thinking. "The name's Jeff Moreau, Ma'am. But feel free to call me Joker. Everyone does."

"We've just met and you're already calling me Ma'am? Hell, it sounds like you're used to women running the show in your life." Jane said, finding herself loosening up around the man.

Jeff, or rather Joker, gave a short laugh before giving her a sarcastic retort. "Yeah, it's not like I need any more around. Frankly, I don't have the space for anymore, if you're asking to join the club." The man paused as he rubbed his neck. And then he pointed at Jane's chest, which made her look down to see the Alliance's emblem proudly displayed on her shirt. "Naw, I saw that you were Alliance, thought you could take some verbal abuse from good ol' me."

"You thought right. A little abuse every now and then always did boost my self-confidence, as well as my ego. Perhaps a bit too much sometimes. . ." Jane said as she smirk. "Jane Shepard. You Alliance as well?"

"Hell yeah I am. I'd say nice to meet you Jane, but I'm not one for pleasantries." Joker said as he rubbed at his stubble again.

"Then I'll try to make up for your lack. Nice to meet you Joker, even if your personality isn't the best first impression." Jane said as she stepped backwards and patted Duke on the head. The dog was growing impatient and had been fidgeting around as Jane spoke with the other Alliance officer. "But I don't mind, just means that I get to know the real you better."

"I like your thinking, Jane." Joker said. "Maybe I'll see you around sometime while you're still on leave."

"If you're asking me on a date, then it's not gonna happen." Jane said as she started walking away from Joker's house.

"Wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart. Heard that redheads are too wild in bed!" Jeff called to the retreating woman, a little laugh escaping his lips. Soon after that, Jane heard the man say softly. "Forget I said that, Hilary. Mom would freak out if she you asked her what that means."

Deciding to leave the man to his unknown fate, Jane ushered Duke down the street with only a shake of her head. It would take them another fifteen minutes before they reach their home. Jane had long since stopped sweating, and now her body felt chilled against the growing breeze. She would have moved faster if it wasn't for Duke, who was now too tired to do anything more than a simple stroll.

By the time that Jane reached the house, she herself started to feel fatigued. Perhaps she had pushed herself too much today. Jane groaned at the thought of feeling completely sore tomorrow morning and rolled her shoulders as she checked the mailbox. With a letter in hand for Captain Anderson, Jane went through the garage and into the house.

As soon as she entered the house, Jane could feel that something was wrong. Call it a gut feeling, but suddenly the air Jane breathed in felt thick with tension. It was a feeling Jane thought she would never get used to.

She made her way into the living room, arms posed to hit anything that broke the uneasy stillness of the house. Jane realized that the television wasn't on; Danny wasn't in the house, and neither were the other Andersons. Jane felt the hairs on her neck stand up and she froze on the spot. Slowly, she bent down to undo the leash from Duke's collar. As she did so, she whispered low words into the dog's closest ear, the ear twitching slightly in response. Duke could her his mistress' anxiety and instantly tensed up; a growl settled in the back of his throat.

Slowly, the two made their way further into the house. Jane heard something move in the back, by the bedrooms, and then felt her muscles tense up. She balled her hands into tight fists as she carefully navigated her way to the other end of the living room with Duke right on her heels. There was another sound, and Jane could pinpoint its origin: The master bedroom.

Just as she was about to force open the master bedroom door to look for the sound of the noise, it unceremoniously clicked open.

"Jane, we've been looking everywhere for you!"

It was Kahlee who spoke, relief hanging heavily in her voice. She was currently shrugging on her old Alliance uniform, one that she hasn't worn for what seemed like ages. Jane could barely remember the last time she had seen the retired Alliance officer wear it. Jane looked over the woman's shoulder to see that Captain Anderson was also getting dressed.

"Where have you been?" Kahlee asked, snapping Jane's attention back to her.

"Out. Jogging." Jane said in separate huffs. Her eyebrows furrowed with confusion as she frowned; she didn't like the sight of her foster parents putting on their uniforms. "I stopped to talk with a neighbor down the road, but that was only for a couple minutes. What's going on?"

Captain Anderson turned to look at Jane instead of through the mirror. He looked concerned, but that was hidden behind his confident stance and determined frown. Jane recognized this look; it was his superior officer glare.

"We don't know ourselves, Jane. But as of right now, it's something big." Captain Anderson said as he stepped away from the mirror and straightened his Alliance suit out. "Both Kahlee and I are needed at the base as soon as possible. We wanted you here to babysit Danny, but you weren't around when we first got the call."

"He's over at a friend's now, so you'll have the house to yourself." Kahlee said as she stepped around Jane and over towards the front door. As she did so, she patted Jane on the back, grimacing at the feeling of cold, drying sweat. "Please be on your guard. If _I'm_ needed on the base, then something really bad is about to happen."

Jane could only picture atomic bombs and a nuclear winter, despite the fact that nuclear weapons have long since been banned. Still, it didn't leave a happy picture behind in Jane's mind. The young woman nodded as her frown deepened.

"I will. You two be careful." Jane said in a serious voice, watching the two people she could call her parents preparing for the uncertain.

Captain Anderson gave her a nod of his head before following his wife. Jane accompanied them until the garage. She watched as the two climbed into the car and made their way out through the driveway. Duke kept close to her leg, feeling the discomfort between his three masters. Jane bent down and patted him, which only made him whine.

"Easy there, Duke. Everything will be alright."

At least, Jane hoped that everything would be alright.


	3. Taken

The rest of the night had been incredibly difficult for Jane. Mentally, at least. The house felt too still and empty for the young woman's liking. In all of her years living here, Jane could only remember being home alone six times. Even back during basic, Jane had never felt alone; she had her squad mates, fellow recruits, and even letters and phone calls from the Andersons. But now, even with Duke faithfully by her side, Jane felt alone.

Jane realized that she didn't like this feeling. Not one bit.

Dinner had been a mismatch of old leftovers. There was a slice of pizza, half a cold sandwich, and some fruit salad in the fridge that looked appetizing after a long, hard jog. Jane took the food and sat down at the dining table. She remained there for two minutes before the silence got to her. Jane finally decided on picking up her food and retiring on the sofa, where she ate her food while watching a nature documentary on Alaskan wildlife.

The sky slowly grew darker before it finally turned to night. Jane had finished her meal long ago and was now lying on the couch, petting Duke's soft white fur absentmindedly as she switched between channels. Duke was already asleep; his deep steady breaths was all Jane needed to hear to know. Soon, the day's exertion got to Jane, and she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness easily. Jane forced her eyes to open and she looked up at the wall clock.

9:50. Well, it was late enough that she could at least fall asleep in her own bed.

Groaning as she picked herself up, Jane trudged to her bedroom. She paused to turn around and look at her sleeping dog.

Jane whistled. "Duke, come on it's time for bed."

She didn't receive an answer from the pit bull. Not even a twitch of an ear or a tail tremble. Jane sighed, which then turned into a large yawn that had her leaning to one side from lack of balance. Deciding to let sleeping dogs lie, Jane went to her room and quickly changed into a clean pair of shorts and a T-shirt for pajamas. Now without the feeling of being sticky, Jane let out a tired sigh of relief.

Without even thinking, Jane closed the door to her room before climbing up into her warm bed. Just as she rolled around and cuddled up into a warm ball did she realize her mistake. She let out a groan, remembering the last time she closed the door on Duke. He had woken everyone up at two in the morning with his cries. Duke had been a puppy at the time, but that didn't mean he would have changed his old habit.

But Jane was finally starting to feel warm, and the ach of the day's activates was settling into her bones. With an undignified huff, Jane squeezed her eyes even tighter, almost to the point where it hurt. She wanted to sleep now; if that meant waking up at three in the morning to let Duke in the room, then so be it.

It shouldn't have surprised her when Duke's barks woke her up.

The worst feeling in the world is that feeling of spinning dizziness just after you've awoken. And the cold chills. Jane hated the shivering coldness whenever she was rudely awoken. Both of these paired with the confusion of _"where am I"_ at three in the morning would shake even the most grounded person. This time was no exception.

However, Jane was more grouchy than confused as she rolled over from her stomach to her back. Duke's barks were barely registering in her brain, save for the fact that they had woken her up. Jane glanced over to her alarm clock as she scratched at her itchy scalp, only to find that she had been incased in complete darkness, barely able to see past her nose. The power must have gone out. Even the street lights outside her window had been blown out.

Fortunately, Jane had a watch on hand. She reached for the small object to her side and grabbed it off of the bedside table. As she checked it, Jane was surprised to find that had stopped working as well. And this antique ran on batteries. Still, Jane was able to see where the watch hands stopped. It was past 2:54; she had barely gotten five hours of sleep. Jane let out a small groan as she forced herself into a sitting position, a small headache forming as she did so.

And still, Duke continued to bark ferociously. It took Jane more than a few seconds to realize that she had never heard Duke bark like this before. Something was wrong.

Suddenly, any trace of tiredness rolled off of Jane's body. Instead, it grew tense as her mind sharpened. Jane slid out of her warm bed and quietly crept towards her bedroom door, relying on her memory of the room's layout instead of her eyes. On her way there, Jane slid her fingers against the nearest wall and downwards until she found John's old wooden baseball bat. She barely paused in her steps to wrap her fingers around the end of the bat and then grasped it tightly. Picking it up and feeling the weight in her hands, Jane kept it close as she opened her door.

The lights weren't on in the house, which wasn't surprising. At least Duke wasn't barking at the Anderson's as they returned from the Alliance base. But why would he bark like that at the Captain and Kahlee in the first place? He never had beforehand. No, Jane could tell from her gut feeling that there was an intruder in the house, or at least near the vicinity. Perhaps they were the ones that had cut off the power. . .

Jane walked through the house with bare feet on the cooled wooden floorboards. She kept her grip on the bat tight as she skimmed the perimeter, looking for anything that was out of place or stolen. If it was a thief running amuck, then they were in for a rude awakening. A common cat burglar was no match for an Alliance Marine, even if she was just a Private. Even if they had a gun.

Duke's barking grew louder as Jane moved towards the kitchen and dining room. Where was that dog of hers?

Suddenly, Jane bumped into the coffee table in the living room, stubbing her big toe in the process. A wave of pain and intense fury rose through Jane up to her face. With no doubt, Jane could tell that her usually pale face was beet red. It took almost all of her control not to shout out profanities as she bent forwards and grabbed her raised foot. Jane used the bat as a prop as she rubbed the pain out of her toe.

However, Jane had made a sound that had shattered the eerie silence of the house. Duke had heard and paused in his barking, allowing Jane to hear the perpetrators. She stopped breathing as she heard two high pitched voices squabble together in hushed tones. It sounded it was coming from the laundry room, by the garage's back door.

It dawned on Jane that Duke had scared the trespassers into hiding. She couldn't hide the small chuckle.

Jane's stance relaxed with this realization. Jane swung the bat casually so that it rested against her shoulder and she made her way towards Duke. Duke was still standing guard, hunched over and baring his teeth as he stared at the closed door. Jane muttered a few words of encouragement to Duke, who only growled in response. The redhead stood up straighter and held her bat ready.

"Alright, who are you and why are you in my house?!" Jane yelled at the door, her voice completely shattering the tense quietness.

The voices stopped whispering as soon as they heard Jane spoke. The silence seemed to last for hours. Were they panicking and regretting their decisions, or were they planning to assault her as well as continuing their robbery? Jane furrowed her eyebrows when the silence grew deafening. And then one of the trespassers yelled, obviously sounding furious.

Only, the thing was that Jane couldn't understand what the man was saying. It didn't sound like any language Jane ever heard. She didn't have any time to try to interpret the man's words, as his partner had rapidly shouted back at the other, his pitch rising much higher than his friend's. The longer that Jane listened, the more confused she felt. It sounded like complete gibberish, and something about the way that the words vibrated in their throats that sounded—

Duke let out another bark, effectively silencing the two trespassers.

"I hope you two are comfortable in there!" Jane yelled back, feeling a smirk spread across her face. Jane relaxed her stance and allowed the bat to hang loosely to her side. She felt comfortable knowing that they were stuck in the laundry room. That is, unless the two wanted to tango with the pit bull. "I'm going to call the police. I don't know whether you're a pair of burglars, or a pair of whack-jobs, but you'll be a lot safer locked up at the precinct than in my house."

There was no response from the two, save for a few disgruntled, unintelligible mumbles. Jane made a clicking sound in the back of her mouth, gaining Duke's attention. The dog perked up and twisted his head around to look at his mistress.

"Guard." Jane ordered, pointing at the laundry room door as she did so. Duke barked in response and returned his attention to the point of interest.

Jane managed to find her way into the living room, despite the pitch blackness surrounding her and overwhelming feeling of unease that continued to wash over her. Jane reached around the low coffee table, looking for the family phone. As she felt it under the pads of her fingertips, Jane pulled it towards her eyes. Carefully, she skimmed over the buttons and dialed 911.

However, when she brought the phone to her ear, Jane was surprised to hear nothing but silence on the other end. There wasn't even a dial tone ringing annoyingly in her ear. It was then that she remembered that the power was out, and thus the phone lines. Jane let out an annoyed growl as she threw the phone down on the sofa, the couch cushions softening the impact.

She was going to have to stand watch all night to make sure her mental intruders didn't do anything stupid. Jane frowned at the idea as she grew even grouchier; she had wanted a good night's rest tonight too . . .

Just then, Jane felt a small breeze against her. Her body instantly tensed, but that was all the reaction time she had before two strong hands had seized her and threw her into the closest wall. Jane gripped the bat tightly, feeling it smash into the bookshelf to her right. Jane suppressed a groan as she forced her eyes to open, looking for her unseen attacker. It would have helped her if she hadn't been as blind as a bat.

Looking over the small family room, Jane searched for any movement that would tip her off. Agonizingly slow seconds ticked by with nothing happening save for Jane's pained exhales. Still she readied the bat, knowing that her attacker was waiting for an opening. Just like her.

Something stepped into the faint reflection of the far window, and Jane found her target. With a small battle cry, Jane leapt forward with the bat ready to arch down on top of the person's hand. The attacker was taken off guard and Jane managed to land a blow on what must have been the person's shoulder.

It let out a deep, vibrating cry of pain that startled Jane from landing a second blow.

That didn't sound human.

Jane's pause was all the attacker needed to punch her once in the chin. Jane's head snapped to follow the blow and she felt her teeth grind against each other from the force. The bat was ripped out of her hands from the attacker's free hand, and Jane found herself defenseless. Still, she tried to punch the attacker into submission, only to feel her back press up against the wall as the assailant tackled her.

Jane hit her head against the wall, feeling an instant headache take over her senses. If Jane could see through the pitch black, she'd bet money that she would have seen stars from the force. This person was strong. _Really_ strong. Jane's first instinct was to rebel against the person's strong hold on her, but found that struggling was useless.

Suddenly, there was a sharp sting at the side of her neck. It was only when she started to feel drowsy that she realized the assailant had stabbed her with a needle and some kind of paralytic anesthesia. Chloroform? No, that was usually used with a rag. It didn't matter either way, Jane found herself slowly slipping while her body fell to the floor, completely vulnerable.

One of the only things Jane could recognize was Duke's barking, and how it was growing louder. Duke jumped over her prone figure on the floor, ready to dig his teeth deep into the fiend's flesh. Jane could barely see Duke as he attacked the shrouded figure, but she could definitely make out Duke's form as the man swatted the pit bull away like an annoying mosquito. Duke let out a whine from the blow, but landed on his feet and twisted around to face them, snapping viciously.

The attacker spoke aloud, his words also sounding gibberish to Jane's ears. However, his meaning was clear as he motioned for Duke to attack again, egging the dog on. Duke was all too happy to oblige and he sprung forward, sharp teeth ready once again.

Only this time the figure was more prepared.

The attacker managed to get his arms around Duke as the pit bull leaped for him. He held the dog's head close to his chest, able to keep the sharp teeth at bay. And then he squeezed. Duke let out one final whine before going completely silent. Jane watched in horror as Duke went limp in the figure's arms. After a long minute of dreadful stillness the attacker dropped the dog. He fell unceremoniously to the ground, and didn't move since.

They had . . . they had killed her dog.

"—uo . . . you bastard." Jane managed to choke out through her paralytic state, her voice filled with venom.

That seemed to attract the man's attention. He let out a sickening chortle that made Jane's blood boil. The man rolled his injured shoulder and let out a displeased groan. He then passed over Jane's prone body and made his way towards the laundry room, where his companions were now free from Duke's presence.

As soon as the man was out of her sight, Jane looked back at Duke's body, just wishing that the pit bull would let out a pained cry or a twitch. Just something that would prove that he was still alive. She let out a small whistle, hoping to attract Duke's attention.

He remained motionless, oblivious to the world of the living.

Jane heard the door squeak open and the following footsteps as the men from inside stepped out from their makeshift prison. A small conversation started, the lower baritone of her attacker contrasting the two lunes' higher pitched voices. The only thing that Jane could make out of their garbled words was that they were not happy at this turn of events.

No, none of them seemed pleased at all. At least Jane had that one small victory.

Jane felt herself sink deeper into her induced comatose state. She was still aware as three figures came towards her, looming over her like she was some sort of sick animal that they were either going to take home to take care of, or poke with a stick until her eyeballs popped out. At this point of the night, Jane was leaning towards the later. She tried glaring at them accusingly, but she already knew that that was a wasted effort. These men had no remorse left in their malevolent bones.

Again, they started talking. But this time their words were more calmed and quiet. Jane wished that she could understand them, only to know what they were planning for her. Suddenly, a light flashed in front of her eyes, blinding her. Jane tried to groan in pain, but found that she no longer had the capacity to produce sound. Even now it was harder for the redhead to keep her eyes open. The need to fall unconscious _right now_ was just too great.

The light dimmed dramatically after a few seconds, allowing for Jane to see her attacker's faces. As her eyes adjusted to the new light source, she felt her heartbeat race against the effects of the drugs. Jane couldn't peel her eyes off of her attackers out of surprise, panic, but mostly terror. These were not men that had broken into her home and attacked her.

No, they were aliens.

The two that had hidden inside of the laundry room were slender, amphibious looking creatures that seemed to tower over Jane's prone form. Their faces were long and seemingly flat, as they both didn't have a visible nose and their wide mouths hung low. Their eyes looked black and uncaring at this angle, despite the fact that Jane knew they were looking down at her with extreme interest. The pair both had horns atop of their head, with one slightly larger than the other.

One bent down towards her with his hands soon ghosting over her body, most likely checking her vitals. It was then Jane was able to get a closer look at the alien. Her earlier observations were true, save for the fact that its skin was colored an algae green with darker green splotches covering the eye sockets and upper neck. Jane kept her gaze on the alien's eyes, even when she felt herself slip even further away.

The other bent down next to its partner, his own coloration closer to a grayish blue. It waved a hand over Jane's head, and she was surprised to see that an orange glow surrounded its left, three fingered hand. The gray-blue alien tapped against the glowing orange, which made sounds that broke the quiet again. It finished whatever it was doing and then waved the orange away, allowing the dark to surround the four.

The two horned aliens began speaking together, this time their words nothing more than mumbles as Jane finally accepted her fate and closed her eyes. Soon their words were beginning to run into each other, forming a constant buzz in Jane's ears. Somehow she was able to feel rough hands grip her limp body and throw her over a shoulder, but that was the last thing she was aware of.

* * *

When Jane finally came to, she found herself on a cold, metallic floor.

It took the redhead mere minutes to pull herself out of her drug induced phase, but she could tell that the side effect would leave her head spinning for much longer. Jane groaned when she felt her body slowly jolt awake in small spasmodic tremors.

The first thing Jane registered was that her head and back were incredibly sore. She couldn't think straight, yet she was fully able to remember her head smacking against a wall and the flood of initial pain. She cradled the growing headache by massaging her temples. She hoped she didn't have a concussion. Or that her back was messed up. Jane grimaced as she rubbed her neck absentmindedly, feeling the puncture wound from the needle.

Still she forced her arms to pick her up into a sitting position, back screaming with pain. Jane ignored it for the time being, but it still took her a few minutes to complete a task as easy as that. Right now her attention was on finding out where she was. And then Jane opened her eyes, despite feeling like she would fall over from a single breeze.

She took a look around the room and then instantly wished she hadn't.

Jane was no longer in Kansas anymore. Or Vancouver. Hell, she didn't think she was on Earth anymore. Instead, Jane found herself on what she could only believe to be an alien spaceship. Specifically, on the cargo hold of an alien spaceship if the boxes and large metallic crates were to say something.

But that hadn't been the sight that had shaken Jane. No, it was the sight of at least another dozen humans scattered around the room, unconscious. At least she thought that they were out cold. Their bodies were haphazardly thrown around, like their captors hadn't given them a second thought after they brought them here. Some were lying on the floor in awkward position, like Jane had been, and others were propped up against the side of the ship's walls or sprawled on top of the crates. Every one of them still looked unconscious.

Jane counted the others. She counted them twice. Both times she counted fifteen other humans, making her number sixteen.

Carefully, Jane forced herself onto her knees and crawled over to the nearest person. A man had been propped up against one of the metallic crates with alien writing on it, his head dropping into the crook of his neck. He looked older than Jane, roughly in his late thirties, with short brown hair and a growing handlebar mustache. Jane faintly remembered him as one of her neighbors, living three doors down from the Andersons. She recalled that he had gotten married just before she left for basic.

As she tried to recall the man's name, Jane took her hands and clung to his shoulders. She tried to shake the man awake, but he seemed to still be under the effects of the drug.

"Come on! Wake up!" Jane ordered through forcedly hushed words. She felt herself frowning before biting her lower lip. Jane paused for a brief second to place her left hand underneath the man's nose. When she felt warm air brush against her skin, Jane continued to shake the man. "Damn it! You need to wake up!"

It soon came clear that he wouldn't regain consciousness anytime soon. With a frustrated growl, Jane let go of the poor man's shoulders and pushed herself back, falling onto her rear by accident. Instead of giving up, Jane immediately went to the woman to her left, who was face down against the cold metallic floor. The woman's blonde hair covered most of her face, and when Jane went to move it, she was met with a scabbing head wound just above the woman's right ear.

Jane paused before carefully pulling back the long blonde hair. As she bent down to inspect the wound closer, she held her breath to hear if the woman was exhaling. Fortunately she was, but Jane had doubts that the wound was only superficial. Deciding to let the woman be, Jane dropped the woman's hair from her hand.

Doubtful now, Jane found herself hugging her knees. Jane bit her lip as she hung her head into her arms, feeling her shoulder length red hair fall over her eyes. She felt alone and vulnerable, but mostly right now she felt afraid.

Jane didn't move from that position for a long time. As time passed, she soon could distinguish the sound of the alien spaceship humming from fuel consumption. Even with the unquestionably real alien metal under her body, Jane didn't know if she could actually believe what was happening.

Jane didn't know how much time passed, and frankly she didn't care. However, she was awoken from this small trance when she heard a stifled sob. Just as quickly as it happened, it disappeared, sending Jane back into disturbing silence. Jane's ears still perked up and she lifted her head from her lap. She was not alone.

Very quietly, Jane stood up and then whispered, "Is anyone awake?"

A long second of silence passed.

"Hello?" A tiny, scared voice called out.

Jane turned towards the voice, her eyes finding nothing but the foreign storage containers. A few seconds passed, and then Jane saw a small head poke out behind the furthest container. It was a small child. Jane assumed it was a girl, for her blonde hair was long, falling over her shoulders. The girl's eyes were glued onto Jane, afraid yet begging for help.

Jane instantly put on a calm façade, despite how terrified she was herself. She whispered lowly, "Hello there. What's your name?"

After a long hesitation, the girl answered. "Hil— Hilary. I'm Hilary."

"Hilary. That's a beautiful name." Jane stated in a calm, even voice. If Jane felt uneasy and terrified, then the young girl must have been as well, tenfold. "My name is Jane. Can I come over to you?"

Hilary nodded, using her pajama's long sleeve to wipe at her running nose. As Jane moved towards the young girl, she could see that the child had been crying; the skin around her eyes looked red and puffy, with her brown eyes still glossy. Jane bent down to her level and further inspected the kid, checking for injuries. Thankfully, there were none.

Jane stuck out her hand. Hilary didn't hesitate this time as she grabbed at Jane's hand and gave it a friendly, tight squeeze. Instantly the child calmed down and let out a small smile, showing a gap where one of her front teeth should have been. Hilary sniffed her nose and rubbed it again with her free arm. As she did so, she pulled on Jane's hand, leading the older woman behind the crate and into the corner of the alien cargo hold.

"Can you help my brother?" She asked, looking up at Jane with wide eyes.

"Your brother?" Jane asked with a small frown, her calm voice faltering.

Hilary nodded and tugged on Jane's hand again, squeezing it while doing so. Who could her brother possibly be? A younger boy, a baby? If that was the case then Jane didn't know how she could help an infant whilst trapped on an alien ship. But when Hilary stopped and pointed at a young man on the ground, Jane didn't know whether the pause in her breathing was from relief or from her stomach dropping. His nose was covered in a layer of dry, crusted blood and there was already deep bruising on one side of his face, his skin a dark purplish-blue. Despite this, Jane recognized Hilary's brother right away.

"Joker." Jane said as realization dawned on her. Jane dropped Hilary's hand as she rushed to the man's side. Kneeling down on the ground, Jane checked Joker's vitals with the pads of her fingers against his neck. A wave of relief washed over Jane when she felt a steady, constant heartbeat. Joker was just knocked out. Now knowing that his wounds were only minor, Jane started to pat the man on his shoulder. "Come on Joker, get up."

Much to her surprise, the young man let out a rolling groan. Joker's eyebrows pinched together as he woke up and registered the pain in his broken nose. He tried to bring a hand up to feel the tendered cartilage, but Jane latched onto his wrist before he brought it past his chest.

"You shouldn't do that. You'll mess up your nose even more." Jane said. Joker groaned in response, but nodded anyways. He then placed his hands on the cold metal floor and started to push himself up into a sitting position. Jane helped him as Hilary hovered behind her right shoulder. "Just take it easy, they really roughed you up."

"You don't have to tell me that twice." Joker groaned, his voice sounding off due to his broken nose. He opened his eyes and looked up at Jane, recognizing her. He nodded towards her in greeting, but instantly regretted that when his head started to hurt. "I just don't want to end up with a crooked nose for the rest of my life. How bad does it look?"

"Like you decided to provoke a grizzly bear just for the hell of it." Jane said, smiling despite the situation. "I'll help you set it once you're up and running."

"Thanks." Joker paused for a brief second as he finally took in the setting. He spotted Hilary and then smiled at her, full of relief. Hilary ran into his opening arms and clung to him tightly, emitting a small sound as she did so. Joker rubbed the small girl's back in continuous circles. Jane watched as the anxiety practically flowed off of Hilary the longer Joker did this. Joker looked up at Jane, eyes serious. "Mind telling me where the hell we are?"

Jane frowned. "You didn't see anything? Not even when they punched you in the schnoz?"

Joker shook his head, beginning to look worried.

She was unsure of what to say. Best to be blunt in these situations. "Would you believe me if I told you we were abducted by aliens?"

"Naw, not really." Joker muttered, visibly conflicted as to whether to take Jane's words at face value or call her a terrible liar. However, the longer he stared at the strange cargo hold, the longer his frown seemed to deepen. Slowly, Joker covered his little sister's head protectively. "You _are_ kidding with me? Right?"

"You were attacked, right?" Jane pointed to Joker's nose. The man nodded. Jane twisted around and pulled up her shirt to show bruising on her back. After a few seconds, Jane straightened her shirt and turned to face Joker again. "I was also attacked in my house. It was an alien."

"I— I still don't know if I believe you." Joker said, his voice faltering somewhat. His brown eyes went from Hilary, her prone figure in his arms, and then up to Jane's green ones. His hold tightened on the young girl. "I don't know if I _want_ to believe you."

Jane was about to convince Joker further, almost desperate enough to plead with the man, when Hilary spoke up.

"I saw the alien." Hilary said in a soft spoken voice, but big enough so that the young adults could hear her perfectly through the uncomfortable silence. "It had a large, bumpy head. With sharp teeth and four squinty eyes."

Jane stood there for a second, puzzled by the girl's description of the alien. That had not been what her aliens looked like. Joker saw Jane's bewilderment and he frowned in confusion before looking at Hilary.

Just before Jane could question the girl, there was the sound if a metal door opening. Then there were footsteps. Instantly Jane dropped to a kneeling position, hoping whoever it was hadn't seen her. She looked at Joker and Hilary, pressing an index finger over her lips. _Be quiet._ Thankfully, the two understood her. Jane nodded her head and then steadied her breaths.

Her back still hurt like hell, and crouching down like this was not helping. But she had to see what was going on. Jane grimaced as she failed to ignore the pain and crept towards the edge of a metal crate. The crate was shielding them from view from the aliens, hiding their whereabouts. Jane kept close to the crate as she carefully peaked around the corner. Her breath caught somewhere in her throat.

Hilary had been right; there was a second kind of aliens. Two stood at the other end of the cargo hold, holding a quiet conversation together. One of them was the amphibious frog creatures Jane remembered, colored a greenish yellow with black spots. But its friend was more of a brute, his head reminding Jane a little bit of a lumpy potato. A large lumpy potato with four eyes who was wearing thick blue armor.

The redhead tried to listen to their conversation, but the aliens were too soft spoken. That and they were speaking a language Jane didn't understand. The only thing Jane could definitely tell was that the potato head alien had a much deeper voice than the frog-like alien. Just like her attacker's.

Jane frowned at this train of thought. But she didn't have much time to think because the frog alien had pointed to the blonde woman Jane inspected before. The potato head alien gave out a huff and then walked towards the poor woman. It heaved up the unconscious woman and swung her onto its shoulder.

The big one was hired muscle then. But what would that make the frog alien? Jane didn't have much time to wonder about it however. Just as quickly as the two arrived, the aliens walked out of the cargo hold, closing the door behind them. She waited for a few seconds before letting her legs give out under her.

Jane swore under her breath before returning to the two siblings. Both of them gave Jane a curious yet terrified look. Hilary looked like she was ready to flee, like a mouse caught in a trap. Joker's fear, however, was much more subtle; his eyes were darker than before, reflecting little light. Jane leaned against the crate and slid down into a sitting position; her back felt like it was on fire, making her wince. She let out a huff of breath before looking at both of them.

"What? What was it?" Joker asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I don't think we're safe here." Jane muttered, her own voice sounding like a death toll. Her headache was at full force now, and no amount of massaging her temples would subdue the pain. "I think . . . I think we're going to be dissected by aliens."


End file.
